Episode 4: The Cursed Forest of Larlana

Rain continued falling softly over Aurelia.

But inside the Palace of Light, the atmosphere felt far heavier than the storm outside.

Nobody spoke.

Pelita’s words still echoed inside everyone’s mind.

“Within his light… there is Void energy.”

Uta stood silently in the center of the Ancient Archive while staring at his hands.

Golden light still glowed faintly beneath his skin.

But now…

He was beginning to fear the power itself.

“What does that even mean?” he asked quietly.

No one answered immediately.

Tok Tembikar slowly approached one of the ancient clay pots cracked during the earlier Void attack.

“I feared this day would come,” he said softly.

Melur quickly looked at him.

“Tok… don’t say that.”

Tok Tembikar closed his eyes briefly before continuing.

“Solar and Void power should never exist within the same vessel.”

Silence filled the chamber.

Uta felt pressure tightening inside his chest.

“So… I’m dangerous?”

Pelita floated slowly before him.

“Not yet.”

“NOT YET?!”

Pelita flinched slightly.

“I was trying to calm down the situation…”

Suddenly, Tok Tembikar looked toward the stone walls.

His expression hardened.

“The Void is moving again.”

BUMMMMMM—

A violent tremor shook the entire archive.

Dust fell from the ceiling.

Melur instantly summoned blades of wind.

“Another attack?”

Tok Tembikar slowly shook his head.

“Not here.”

He closed his eyes.

The ground beneath them began glowing.

Stone roots slowly rose upward, forming a massive map of Alam Luminara across the floor.

One forest region glowed dark crimson.

“Larlana Forest…” Melur whispered.

Uta stared at the map.

“What happened there?”

Tok Tembikar slowly opened his eyes.

“Its guardian has lost control.”

The journey toward Larlana Forest took half a day.

Melur flew low ahead of them while guiding the path.

Meanwhile, Uta rode atop a glowing deer-like creature with crystal antlers known as an Elkar.

At first he was terrified.

But gradually—

He became fascinated by this world.

Floating mountains.

Glowing waterfalls.

Gigantic trees moving slowly as though alive.

But the closer they got to Larlana…

The more everything changed.

The skies turned gray.

The trees blackened.

The air became heavy.

And faint whispers echoed throughout the forest.

Pelita appeared near Uta’s shoulder.

“The Void corruption here is extremely strong…”

Uta looked around uneasily.

“I have a really bad feeling about this.”

Melur landed slowly before the entrance of the forest.

And for the first time—

Her cheerful expression completely vanished.

“This used to be the most beautiful forest in Luminara.”

Cold wind passed through the trees.

Black leaves fell around them.

“But now…”

Melur’s voice lowered softly.

“…everything here is dying.”

Suddenly—

ROOOOOOOOARRRRRRR!!!

The entire forest trembled violently.

Massive trees began moving on their own.

Roots burst from the ground like giant serpents.

Uta immediately stepped backward.

“What IS that?!”

BUMMMMM!!!

A gigantic figure emerged from the black mist.

Rimba.

But this time, the creature was far larger than before.

Dark purple cracks covered its massive body.

Its eyes burned violently.

Void roots grew from its back like twisted thorns.

Pelita quickly floated behind Uta.

“Corruption is getting worse!”

Rimba roared furiously.

Yet beneath the monstrous sound—

Uta heard something else.

A voice.

Weak.

Painful.

“…help…”

Uta froze instantly.

“He… talked?”

Melur stared at him in shock.

“What?”

Rimba slammed the ground.

Dozens of black roots launched toward them.

Melur immediately unleashed a storm of wind.

WHOOSHHHH!!!

But there were too many Void roots.

One nearly pierced Melur—

But—

CLANGGG!!!

A glowing keris sliced the root apart instantly.

A man dressed in classical Malay warrior armor landed before them.

His body was covered in battle scars.

His eyes were as sharp as steel.

And in his hand—

A glowing golden keris.

Laksamana Keris.

“Fall back,” he ordered firmly.

Rimba roared and attacked immediately.

But Laksamana Keris moved far too quickly.

SWOOOSHHH!!!

His keris carved golden trails through the air.

Every strike sliced through Void roots perfectly.

Uta stared in amazement.

“He’s human?”

Melur smiled faintly.

“The strongest human in Alam Luminara.”

Rimba raised its massive body before slamming into the earth.

BOOOOOOMMMM!!!

A massive wave of Void energy exploded outward.

Laksamana Keris blocked the attack—

But even he was pushed backward.

His expression darkened.

“The corruption runs too deep…”

Then—

Rimba looked directly at Uta.

And once again—

Uta heard the voice.

“…save… me…”

His chest tightened painfully.

He could feel the creature’s suffering.

The Void was not simply controlling Rimba.

It was torturing him.

Uta clenched his fists tightly.

“There has to be a way to save him.”

Laksamana Keris looked directly at him.

“If you fail, this entire forest will perish.”

Uta slowly lifted his head.

His eyes began glowing gold.

Solar light slowly surrounded his body.

“Then…”

The energy around him intensified.

“…I’ll try.”

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